Monday This and That

 As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and no man rebelled, those wrongs would last forever. 

Clarence Darrow

Good morning everyone.  Hard to believe it's Monday again.  Seems time is moving faster now that I retired.  I had a quiet weekend.  Did my food shopping on Friday and went to Church on Sunday.  On Saturday I started out, but the humidity got to me before I reached the corner, so I turned around and headed right back indoors. It's nice out today and the humidity is low so I plan to get out and do something.  First, I do have to go to Pathmark for my prescriptions and then I think I'll shop for some new fall decorations.  I love buying something new to add to my collection each year.

Not going to the Center today.  To be honest, if it weren't for the friends I made there and the little responsibilities I have there, I think I would find somewhere else to go. I see quite a bit of unfairness and favoritism there, and that doesn't sit well with me.  When I see unfairness, I get frustrated.

However, the reason behind today's boycott is not the fault of staff at the Center...or perhaps it may be.

Each year the Brooklyn assemblyman throws a senior picnic at the Army base in Brooklyn.  It's a beautiful area with picnic benches, trees, and a wonderful view of the bay. I really wanted to go.  However, only a certain amount of tickets is allotted to each Center so not everyone gets to go, which I understand.  Our Center chooses to raffle them off.  We all sign our names on a slip of paper and they are place in a huge jar. Whoever's name is drawn gets to go.  Which is fair, and I have no disagreement with that practice, and if I lose, then I lose.  I accept that. 

What happens, though, is that people who NEVER attend the Center show up just to be a part of the raffle, and once the names are drawn, they disappear until the next raffle is held.  In fact, I overheard two ladies talking about how many Centers they have their name in and what they were going to do with the extra tickets if they should win in more than one place...and it didn't include refusing them.  They were going to make sure that ALL their friends got to go.  Unfortunately, all these extra names in the raffle make it harder and pretty much impossible for many of us regulars  to win. 

So, once again the names were drawn, and many people who we had never seen before won the coveted tickets. We are NOT happy campers. There must be something the Center can do to make it a little more fair their loyal clients. Perhaps it would take a bit more time, but look on the sign in sheets to see who does attend before allowing them to sign.   This makes two years in a row that I cannot go because a non-attendee has taken a spot.  I don't mind losing if it is a fair loss, if I saw my peers win, but they don't win either...and there was a lot of grumbling going on on Thursday. So, today is the picnic, and I guess you could say  staying home is my little way of protesting.  I know it means nothing to them, but it makes me feel as if I am doing something.

   

This weekend I used up the last of my floral scented candles. It's time now for the autumn scents of cloves, cinnamon, spiced apples, vanilla, blueberry cobbler, and pumpkin pie. Always brings me back to the time of innocence of youth. Grandma loved making her pies.  She didn't bake cookies or cakes, but she sure made some delicious pies.  

Tonight is the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the first full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, and is sometimes known as the Hunter's Moon,  Corn Moon, and the Barley Moon.  The menu I have planned for tonight includes a hearty chicken stew with  carrots, turnips, onions and potatoes, salad and seasoned rice on the  and a slice of apple pie.  Maybe I will even live dangerously and add a dollop of ice cream.

I found the following little ritual for letting go to share with you.  I posted it last year, but thought it was worth a repeat.  It has appeared on a few sites, and I have no idea of it's origin.  It calls for some Autumn leaves, but that doesn't seem too promising here.  Our leaves or mostly still green.  Maybe I will find something in the park. 

Find some autumn leaves, and mark on each one a symbol to represent what has been weighing on you.(for example a dollar sign for money issues). Meditate and focus on the issue, then burn or bury the leave to symbolize the release of all it represents. This ritual can be very liberating!"